Twisting mechanism



May 8, 1951 c. B. WELLER TWISTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 OriginalFiled Oct; 22 1948 Y Fi' -1. 43 44 4b 9/ v 7 S g, 47 A 28 7 d 7 46INVENTOR. CLAl/Z 5. WELLER ATTORNE Y y 1951 c. B. WELLER 2,551,986

TWISTING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 22, 1948 s sheets-sheet 2 /33 /95a q U /.90 I32 /32 1 /29 Q u A 1/ 4 we no a;

a /28 0 i v t [8061" 0 /2 1 5 JNVENTOR.

Cur/x2 5. WELLER BY v ATTORNEY y 1951 c. B. WELLER 2,551,986

v TWISTING MECHANISM Original Filed Oct. 22. 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 III2%l VIIIIIII/III/l WM INVEN TOR. g m/2 B. WELLER AT ORNEY Patented May 8,1951 um'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE TWISTING MECHANISM Clair B. Weller,Burbank, Calif.

Original application October 22, 1948, Serial No. 55,938. Divided andthis application July 3, 1950, Serial No. 171,776

This application is a division of my co-pending application for patenton a chenille making machine, Serial No. 55,938, filed October 22, 1948,wherein is disclosed and claimed a mechanism by which two chenillestrands are concurrently produced by using a single former or support onwhich filaments such as cotton threads, are Wound and fed axially in theshape of a tube or cylinder as pairs of wires are fed inside and outsideof the tube and are twisted by a suitable twisting mechanism, with thetube being cut through diametrically between the twisted pairs of wires,so as to produce two chenille strands in a continuous operation so longas stock is fed to the machine. 7 a

The primary object of my present invention is to provide a twistingmechanism for use in conjunction with the forming mechanism of mycopending application above identified, the twisting mechanism beingstructurally characterized by its compactness and its automaticcontinuous operation to effect of predetermined uniform twisting of thepairs of wires about the severed halves of the formed thread tube insynchronism with the axial feed of the tube from the former, and so asto cause the wires to tightly grip the threads and to advance thecompleted chenille strands at such speed as will prevent anylongitudinal stress being imposed by the mechanism upon the strands,which might break, elongate, or otherwise damage the product, all sothat the latter will be of uniformly high quality throughout its length.

With this and other objects in view, my invention resides in thecombinations, arrangements and functional relationships of elements asset forth in the following specification and particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a chenille making machine embodying thetwisting mechanism of my present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of thethread tube former and associated parts from which the pairs ofcoreforming wires are twisted about the severed halves of the threadtube by the twisting mechanism;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure2;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the twistingmechanism taken on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure4;

9 Claims. (Cl. 5724) Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on theline 6-45 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken on the line |-'lof Figure 4; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 8-8of Figure 6.

Referring specifically to the drawings, my present invention is shownembodied in a chenille making machine, a mechanism A of which includesmeans for forming a tube or cylinder of cotton or other threads, a meansfor delivering a plurality of wires or cords to the tube as same isbeing fed, and a means for cutting through the tube diametrically todivide the tube into separate halves for the making of two chenillestrands concurrently. This mechanism A which forms no part per se, of mypresent invention, will be described as briefly as possible consistentwith a comprehensive understanding of my twisting mechanism which isdesignated generally at B.

The mechanism A includes a base 25 to which is fixed a bracket 26 inwhich is secured a tubular shaft 21 supporting a conical head 28 inwhich is centrally fixed a former 30 having longitudinal bores 32 and 33(Figure 2) at diametrically opposed points and terminating at theirouter ends in longitudinal grooves 34 and 35, respectively, in theperiphery of the former. These grooves are adapted to receive certainwires a and b used in the making of the chenille strands and fed fromsuitable reels (not shown) through the bore of the tubular shaft 21.

A winding element in the form of a relatively large disk 40 is providedwith a hub 4| journaled on the stationary shaft 21 to mount the disk inproximity to the head 28 for rotation about a fixed axis. A pulley 42 isfixed to the hub 4| and is adapted to drive the winding element by meansof a belt 43 trained about the pulley 4| and about a second pulley 44fixed to a countershaft 46 journaled in bearings l'l and 48 supportedrespectively, by the bracket 26 and by a second bracket 5| fixed to thebase 25.

Spools 59 of thread 60 such as cotton, are suitably mounted on the disk40 to revolve therewith and to rotate on thier own axes. For the presentinvention it will suifice to state that upon rotation of the disk 40,the threads 60, which pass through openings in the disk and throughsuitable tensioning devices 63 on the latter, are caused to be wound onthe former 30.

Peripherally milled feed rollers and 9| are mounted on shafts l5 and I6and peripherally engage the convolutions of thread wound on the former30, so that upon rotation of the rollers in the directions of the arrowsin Figure 2 in synchronism with the winding of thread on the former, thetube defined by the convolutions of thread will be fed axially towardsthe free end of the former.

The feed rollers 90 and 9| are provided with circumferential grooves 94and 95, respectively, which are directly opposite the longitudinalgrooves 34 and 35, respectively, of the former and at the points ofengagement of the rollers with the wound thread on the former. Thegrooves 94 and 95 receive other wires and d, used in the making of thechenille strands, which wires are trained over idler pulleys; 96 and 91and are supplied from suitable reels (not shown), through openings inthe base 25.

The former 30 is provided with a diametrical slot I05 in which works acutting blade I06 suitably mounted and driven to out diametricallythrough the tube of threads wound on the former 30 as the tube is fedaxially thereon by the feed rollers 99 and 9| into the cutting edge ofthe blade.

The mechanism )3 comprises two identical feeding and twisting elementsI2 0 and Ia which are relatively right and left hand. These elements arearranged side by side in close proximity, and are mounted for rotationupon spaced parallel axes at a distance from the mechanism A. Likereference characters will be used to designate like parts of the twoelements I20 and I20a, with the parts of one element provided withexponents to distinguish them from the parts of the other element.

Each ofthe elements I20 and I20a comprises a tube I rigidly secured to asupport I26, which latter is secured to the bracket 5I. An openendedcylindrical shell I28 is secured by screws I29 and I30 to end plates I3Iand I32, respectively, for co-action therewith in providing acylindrical case enclosing the moving parts of the mechanism. The plateI32 is provided with a flanged pulley I33 by which the respectiveelementmay be rotated on bearings I34 and I35 supported on the tube I25and in the plate I32 and in a retainer plate I36 which abuts the innerface of the plate I32.

A sun gear I40 is fixed to the stationary tube I25 and constantly mesheswith identical planetary gears I4I and I42 fixed to shafts I43 and I44,respectively, journaled at one end in bearings I41 and I48 in the outerends of bearing sleeves I49 and I50 supported in alined openings in theend plate I3I and retainer plate I36, respectively. Heads I5I and I52 onthe inner ends of the respective bearing sleeves I49 and I50 co-act withthe retainer plate I36 to confine the sleeves against axial displacementtowards the end plate I3I, and the heads I5I and I 52 are provided witharcuate cut-outs I53 and I54 (Figure 8) which co-act with the peripheryof the bearing I35 in preventing rotation of the sleeves about their ownaxes.

. Fixed to the shafts I43 and I44 within the respective bearing sleevesI49 and IE0. are worms I69 and I6I, respectively, which constantly meshwith worm gears I62 and I63 projecting into the respective bearingsleeves through slots I64 and I 65 therein. The worm gears I62 and I63are fixed to shafts I66 and I61 journaled in bearings I68 and I69 in thesections of two-part gear boxes I10 and HI which constitute arms. Theparts of the boxes I10 and "I are secured together by screws I12 and I13and are provided on their confronting sides with semi-circular recessesI14 and I15 (Figure 4) receiving the respective bearing sleeves I49 andI50 to mount the boxes thereon for limited pivotal movement about theaxes of the respective shafts I43 and I44.

The shafts I66 and I61 are extended in opposite directions from therespective boxes I10 and Ill and have fixed thereto feed wheels I andISI whose milled peripheries are directly opposed for co-action inengaging a chenille strand entering the element I20 through a guide tubeI82, for feeding of the strand through the tube I25. Springs I83 and I84connect the respective boxes I10 and Ill to the plate I36 for co-actionin urging the feed wheels I80 and IBI into gripping engagement with thechenille strand, so that upon rotation of the elements I20 and I20a inthe directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 4, the pairs of feedwheels I80, I8I and I80a, I8Ia of the respective elements will berotated in the directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 5, so as tofeed as well as twist the steel wires forming the core of each chenillestrand, in a manner to be later described.

A main driving belt I is trained about the pulley I33 and is adapted tobe driven from a suitable source of power such as an electric motor (notshown), to drive the element I20, whose rotation is transmitted throughpins I9I to a gear I92 rotatably mounted on the tube I25 within ahousing I 93 and constantly meshing with an iden tical gear 192arotatably mounted on the tube I250: and transmitting its rotationalmovement to the element I20a through pins I9Ia, all as clearly shown inFigure 5. A second driving belt I 95 is trained about the pulley I33a ofthe element I20a and about a pulley I96 fixed to the countershaft 46 todrive the latter and hence the winding disk 40 in synchronism with theelements I20 and I20a.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

Power is now applied to the belt I90 to drive the machine. As thewinding disk 40 rotates, the threads 60 are wound on the former 30 andare axially fed thereon towards the cutting blade I05, concurrently withwhich the wires a and c which are being gripped between the feed wheelsI80 and NH of the element I20, will be advanced through the tube I25 bythe rotational movement of these feed wheels and will be twisted by therevolving motions thereof in response to the rotational movement of theelement I20. Simultaneously, the wires b and d, which are likewise beinggripped between the feed wheels IBM and I8Ia of the element I20a, willbe advanced through the tube I25a by the rotational movement of thesefeed wheels and will be twisted by the revolving motions thereof as theelement I20a rotates.

It will be noted from Figure 2 and 3, that as the thread tube wound uponthe former 30 is being tightly gripped at diametrically opposed pointsbetween the Wires a and c and the wires b and d, the tube will be fedaxially of the former 30 by the feed rollers 90, and 9I towards thecutting blade I05, so that upon reaching the latter, the tube will becut through diametrically thereby medially between the gripped points ofthe tube.

As the twisting of the wires of each pair a, c and b, (1 starts at apoint approximately opposite the cutting edge of the blade I06 as shownin Figure 2, the severed halves of the thread tube on the former 30 willbe tightly gripped between the twisted pairs of wires and will pro-iject equally from opposite sides thereof to form the two chenillestrands S and S.

It will be noted that the mechanism B does not exert any pull upon thechenille strands S and S, but is synchronized with the mechanism A toadvance the strands at the same'speed as they leave the mechanism A, sothat in effect, slack is being continuously taken up and the strandsmaintained taut with a predetermined amount of twist being imparted tothe wires by the mechanism 13 to securely grip the several threadsbetween the wires of the respective pairs.

I claim:

1. In a chenille making machine of the type having a former on whichthread is wound in tube formation and wires are disposed indiametrically opposed pairs with respect to the thread tube and with oneWire of each pair inside the tube and the other wire of each pairoutside the tube, and with the tube being severed diametrically betweenthe pairs of wires as the tube is being fed longitudinally on theformer, so as to divide the tube into two portions, twisting mechanisms,one for each pair of wires, each of said mechanisms comprising: a pairof feed wheels; means urging said wheels to grip the respective pairs ofwires; means for rotating said wheels; and means for revolving saidwheels substantially about said wires as an axis, for co-action with thelast said means in feeding and twisting said wires medially about therespective portion of the divided thread tube so as to produce achenille strand.

2. In a chenille making machine of the type having a former on whichthread is wound in tube formation and wires are disposed indiametrically opposed pairs with respect to the thread tube, with onewire of each pair inside the tube and the other wire of each pairoutside the tube, and with the tube being severed diametrically betweenthe pairs of wires as the tube is being fed longitudinally on theformer,

so as to divide the tube into two portions, twisting mechanisms, one foreach pair of wires, each of said mechanisms comprising: a pair of feedwheels; means mounting said wheels for revolving motion about a commonfixed axis; means mounting said wheels for rotation about their own axesand for adjustment about fixed axes on the first said mounting means;means urging said wheels about the last mentioned axes to co-act ingripping the respective one of said pairs of wires; means for drivingthe first said mounting means to revolve said wheels in synchronism withsaid winding and thread feeding means, so as to twist the respectivepair of wires; and means responsive to the revolving motion of saidwheels, to rotate same in a direction for the wheels to feed the wiresaxially in synchronism with the feeding of the thread tube from theformer.

3. In a chenille making machine of the type having a former on whichthread is wound in tube formation and wires are disposed indiametrically opposed pairs with respect to the thread tube, with oneWire of each pair inside the tube and the other wire of each pairoutside the tube, and with the tube being severed diametrically betweenthe pairs of Wires as the tube is being fed longitudinally on theformer, so as to divide the tube into two portions, twisting mechanisms,one for each pair of wires, each of said mechanisms comprising: a pairof feed wheels; means mounting said wheels for revolving motion about acommon fixed axis; means mounting said wheels for rotation about theirown axes and for adjustment about fixed axes on the first said mountingmeans; means urging said wheels about the last mentioned axes to co-actin gripping one of said pairs of wires; a sun gear fixed co-axially ofsaid common axis; planetary gears rotatable, respectively, about thesecond said fixed axes; and gearing operatively connecting the planetarygears to the respective feed wheels so as to rotate the latter abouttheir own axes as they are revolved about said common fixed axis, and ina direction for the wheels to co-act in feeding and twisting said pairof wires.

4. In a chenille making machine of the type havin a former on whichthread is wound in tube formation and wires are disposed indiametrically opposed pairs with respect to the thread tube, with oneWire of each pair inside the tube and the other wire of each pairoutside the tube, and with the tube being severed diametrically betweenthe pairs of Wires as the tube is being fed longitudinally on theformer, so as to divide the tube into two portions, twisting mechanisms,one foreach pair of wires, each of said mechanisms comprising: astationary tube; an element including end plates rigidly connectedtogether in spaced relation and rotatably mounted on said tube; a sungear fixed to said tube; shafts journaled in said plates at oppositesides of and in parallelism with the axis of said tube; planetary gearsfixed to said shafts and meshing with said sun gear; arms mounted forpivotal movement about the axes of said shafts; other shafts journaledin said arms and having gears fixed thereto and meshing, respectively,with said other gears; feed wheels fixed to said other shafts; and meansurging said feed wheels to grip the respective pair i of wirestherebetween, for the feeding and twisting of such wires in response torotation of said element, so that the wires will co-act with therespective portion of the divided thread tube to produce a chenillestrand.

5. In a chenille making machine of the type having a former on whichthread is wound in tube formation and wires are disposed indiametrically opposed pairs with respect to the thread tube, with onewire of each pair inside the tube and the other wire of each pairoutside the tube, and with the tube being severed diametrically betweenthe pairs of wires as the tube is being fed longitudinally on theformer, so as to divide the tube into two portions, twisting mechanisms,one for each pair of wires, each of said mechanisms comprising: astationary tube; an element including end plates rigidly connectedtogether in spaced relation and rotatably mounted on the stationarytube; a sun gear fixed to the stationary tube; bearing sleeves fixed insaid plates at opposite sides of and in parallelism with the axis ofsaid tube and having slots; shafts journaled in said plates; planetarygears fixed. to said shafts and meshing with said sun gear; worms fixedto said shafts; boxes pivotally mounted on said bearing sleeves; othershafts journaled in said boxes; worm gears fixed to said other shaftsand projecting through said slots into meshing engagement with saidworms; feed wheels fixed to said other shafts; and springs urging saidboxes in directions for said feed wheels to grip said pair of wirestherebetween, for the feeding 6. In a machine of the class described,twisting mechanism comprising: a pair of feed wheels; means mountingsaid wheels to revolve about a common fixed axis; means mounting saidwheels for rotation about their own axes and for angular adjustmentabout fixed axes on the first said mounting means; means urging saidwheels about the last mentioned axes to co-act in gripping a pair ofwires; means for driving the first said mounting means to revolve saidwheels so as to twist the gripped wires; and means for rotating saidwheels in synchronism with their revolving motion, to feed the twistedwires axially.

7. In a machine of the class described, twisting mechanism comprising: apair of feed wheels; means mounting said wheels to revolve about acommon fixed axis; means mounting said wheels for rotation about theirown axes and for angular adjustment about fixed axes on the first saidmounting means; means urging said wheels about the last mentioned axesto co-act in gripping a pair of wires; a sun gearfixed co-axially ofsaid common axis; planetary gears rotatable about the second said fixedaxis; and gearing operatively connecting the planetary gears to therespective feed wheels so as to rotate the latter about their own axesas they are revolved about said common fixed axis, and in a directionfor the wheels to co-act in feeding and twisting said pair of wires.

8. In a machine of the class described, twisting mechanism comprising: astationary tube; an element including end plates rigidly connectedtogether in spaced relation and rotatably mounted on said tube; a sungear fixed to said tube; shafts journaled in said plates at oppositesides of and in parallelism with the axis of said tube; planetary gearsfixed to said shafts and meshing with said sun gear; arms mounted forpivotal movement about the axes of said shafts; other shafts journaledin said arms and having gears fixed thereto and meshing, respectively,with said other gears; feed wheels fixed to said other shafts; and meansurging said arms in directions for said feed wheels to grip said pair ofwires therebetween, for the feeding and twisting of such wires inresponse to rotation of said element.

9. In a machine of the class described, twisting mechanism comprising: astationary tube; an. element including end plates rigidly connectedtogether in spaced relation and rotatably mounted on the stationarytube; a sun gear fixed to the stationary tube; bearing sleeves fixed insaid plates at opposite sides of and in parallelism with the axis ofsaid tube and having slots; shafts journaled in said plates; planetarygears fixed to said shafts and meshing with said sun gear; worms fixedto said shafts; boxes pivotally mounted on said bearing sleeves; othershafts journaled in said boxes; worm gears fixed to said other shaftsand projecting through said slots into meshing engagement with saidworms; feed wheels fixed to said other shafts; and springs urging saidboxes in directions for said wheels to grip said pair of wirestherebetween, for the feeding and twisting of such wires in response torotation of said element.

CLAIR B. WELLER.

No references cited.

